At first glance, it is hard to fathom how Kevin Martin, the soft-spoken, media-shy Harvard Law graduate who chairs the Federal Communications Commission, has built a reputation as one of the savvier political operators in the administration of US President George W. Bush.

But since his move to the top job 15 months ago after years as an FCC commissioner, the man one campaigner has dubbed the ?Clark Kent? of the regulatory agency has undergone a Superman-style transformation. By championing conservative yet populist issues he has earned the fealty of some powerful players in the media and telecommunications industry ? and the implacable enmity of others.